Issue 48: Time to Unplug?
Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we’re thinking about striking the right balance with our devices – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy
THE BIG TAKE
Time to Unplug?
It’s been a rough week of news. The coronavirus has spooked global markets and led to a slew of closures at home and abroad. Given the speed at which news travels, it’s felt like the world was headed for doom. It’s not, but it seems like the perfect time for a break. Maybe we should all unplug for a bit?
Better together: At the end of this week, the United States will hold a National Day of Unplugging. It’s not an official event but has grown steadily in popularity over the years. The premise is simple: we are online far too much and could use a day to unplug from it all. Various events are planned around the country designed to get people together, in physical space, without the need to look at a screen. Now more than ever, this sounds like just what we need. Even if we just spent 24 hours reading a book or working on a project using paper and pen, a day without the internet would help our weary eyes and overstimulated minds.
Finding balance: At Xische, we’re in awe of the power and beauty of the online world. Never before has so much been possible for so many people. Yet, in order to utilize the full power of the internet, we need to strike a balance between online and real life. As the Middle East’s most powerful knowledge economy, people in the UAE need to understand how to put phones down and be in the moment. Given the success of campaigns like the Year of Reading and Year of Tolerance, it’s time for an unplugging day closer to home. By unplugging for one day, we’ll better understand the power of technology on display right before our eyes.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Life is a combination of magic and pasta.”
Federico Fellini, film director
OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK
No more teachers, no more books? For years, Silicon Valley has been pushing into classrooms around the world. The promise is better learning, faster communication, and smarter students. But now there’s pushback in the United States and it’s starting a fresh conversation about the role of educational technology. The digital classroom is not a given. Educators need to balance emotional, intellectual, and technological education. In this piece from the archive, we investigated the status of the classroom of the future.
A catalyst for change: Last week, Xische CEO and founder Danish Farhan published a thoughtful piece in Gulf News on the impact of the Dubai Council. Radical change starts with a bold vision from leaders, Farhan noted. The Dubai Council is already demonstrating the impact of leadership, collaboration, and technology to push Dubai forward. Read the entire piece in Gulf News.
5G and the challenges of the present: We’ve all heard how 5G will benefit our daily lives, but we don’t hear as much about how it stands to exacerbate present challenges. Instead of gushing over the promise of faster speeds (which is brilliant), we argued that the focus should be on how we’ll prepare for the radical changes 5G will facilitate. Easier said than done.
A MESSAGE FROM DIGIT AI
Artificial Intelligence can work for you. The pace of AI innovation is undeniable. With so many options to choose from, how can you be sure that you are making AI work for your needs? Discover what we’re doing at Digit Ai, a Xische company, to accelerate organisational capacity building that leverages AI and machine learning. Find solutions that make business sense and embrace the power of AI.
SPOTTED ELSEWHERE
Prepared for “peak oil”: Last week, we explored how Gulf nations are investing in local knowledge economies to diversify their economies for a post-oil world. Xische’s senior editor, Joseph Dana, went deeper in the Asia Times. “If one were to review economic developments in the UAE alone,” Dana writes, “it is clear that investments in infrastructure, manufacturing, and services are starting to pay serious dividends, especially in technology-heavy sectors and even renewable energy.” The transition is underway and already paying dividends.
AI in your inbox: Chances are you’re reading this email in Gmail (or maybe a Gsuite version of Gmail). Well, if you are then you’re about to enjoy one key benefit of machine learning at Google. Engineers at the company announced this week that they’re using deep learning to identify malicious emails and spam. It’s a practical trick that’s helping Gmail users cut down on possible malware sent in an email. And it seems to be working. Have you noticed how good Google’s filters are now? You can thank AI for that.